And here's a poem from yours truly:

she prefers poems
as birds.

only one gets caged at a time, and even then-
let out-
every once in a while.

the rest are halved, equally, into two groups:

1.  the familiar flyers who swoop down to perch and then sing on her shoulder with one call,                        and

2.  the ones that soar so high, she can't see who they are, and never will.

Changes in scenery--geographical, demographical, or otherwise--stress me out.  I thought I was moving to Seattle for a month when I first migrated out here and four years later I can't picture leaving.  Perhaps it's my Capricorn stubbornness, being the first-born in my family, or my agrarian ancestry.  Despite these inclinations, I still planned and agreed to go on a journey across a relatively large portion of land with my band.  

This was my fourth musical tour and, as each predecessor added to the kaleidoscope of experiences, this one proved to be the most colorful.  Between the ancient pug named Miles Davis we encountered, the towing of our rental van, and accidentally sleeping in our friend's roommate's bed, only to be kicked out (rightfully so) in the wee hours of the morning, I can honestly echo the Dan Savage-led campaign that "it gets better."  For all of you musician-folk out there who are wondering whether or not to take the leap and hit the road, let me be your voice of encouragement.

Although we didn't end up profitting (technically), we still broke even with the gas.  And, like any other adventure, made out like KINGS when it came to the folks we encountered and the memories we made.  How else can you gaze over Big Sur, play for drunk locals at a dive bar, and sing along to "Graceland" in one day?

Post-tour, I vow to:

1.  Appreciate any and every person who is listening to our music, even if it's only one.

2.  Always write new material.

3.  Fall silent rather than say something unproductive.

4.  Give thanks for all of the wonderful friends back home and on the road.

It made me think about the other non-negotiables that turn into negotiables when you're far away from home.  Should we splurge on the gummy worms at this gas station?  What about this local microbrewery staring us in the face when we're hours away from load-in?  These will be the some of the "problems" we face.  

In the Stranger this week, my horoscope suggested that I develop my "bouncebackability" when it comes to finding myself in predicaments.  Not like the ones above, but real-life obstacles.  Playing a show that doesn't go according to plan, for example, and having to suck it up and play through it anyway, or being exhausted with a 13 hour drive ahead of us.  It felt like a much needed piece of wisdom.  

Seems like whether you're about to go on tour or not, it's a good idea to foster a sense of flexibility.  After all, the world might end today.

  March 8th:  Ash Street Saloon (Portland, OR)

  March 9th:  The Axe and Fiddle, with Homeschool (Cottage Grove, OR)

March 10th:  VAMP, with Bobby Jo Valentine and Soul Mechanix (Oakland, CA)

March 11th:  Creekside Bar with Darryl Morris (Santa Barbara, CA)

March 12th:  TRiP (Santa Monica, CA)

March 13th:  Brick by Brick, with 2 Bit Radio (San Diego, CA)

March 14th:  The Canyon Club (Williams Arizona)

March 15th-18th:  SXSW (Austin, TX)

March 19th-20th:  Somewhere in New Mexico, Nevada, or Idaho

It's also a time when we humans tend to label the year that went before.  That was a GREAT year, that was a HELLUVA year, I don't want to repeat THAT year, I hope ALL of my years are like that last one....

Perhaps from a more cosmic perspective, or at least this cosmic-folk-rocker's perspective, it's important for us to collectively acknowledge that we made another go of it.  Amidst all of the sufferings and triumphs, warnings and encouraging words, we went through it all again.  Together. 

This year, I resolve to default to gratitude.  Through whatever 2012 brings; be it apocalypse, wholly transformation, or a bit more of the same as last year, I will be thankful for it.  Whether I live to witness it, or learn what's beyond.  Maybe nothing, maybe everything.  

My bonus resolution is to make my own beer.

But I was killing time, on a musician's budget which doesn't typically allow for indulgences like CDs.  Cruising through the alphabet, though, I got to "M" and looked up at one of the display items.  The cover was just a photograph of sweet smiling eyes and when I looked at the title, I grabbed it immediately.  "Mississippi John Hurt:  The complete studio recordings"--I looked around me in disbelief that it was still just sitting there.  Surely the next person to have seen it would have snagged it before me.  

At a $9.99 price tag, I jumped for joy, literally.  

One of my great friends introduced me to John Hurt years ago, and I got into a "phase" with him.  It's the kind of music that you can have in the background as a sountrack to life or as a therapeutic, undivided source of attention that soothes the nerves.

If you haven't checked out MJH, do it.  You'll be glad you did.  

November 13th, 2011

On Saturday, November 5th, I had two obligations. First, there was a birthday party at the Skylark Cafe for Troy Nelson of the Young Evils. I certainly didn’t have to stop by, but he’d been kind enough to buy a book so I figured it was the decent thing to stop in and wish him a happy one and say thanks. The other thing was at The Crocodile.Julia Massey and the Five Finger Discount were playing for the Croc’s Dia De Los Muertos celebration. I’d met Julia once before, and like Troy, she’d been kind enough to buy a book. I thought, thus, to stop by and catch her band and if I liked them, perhaps jot down a few kind words about the show.

And I did.

I went from the Skylark (“Happy Birthday”) to the Crocodile (“Happy Day of the Dead”) where I had a beer and a gifted shot from the bass player of Sightseer who was there to see the opener, Goat. Julia was second on the bill so another beer and gifted shot later, she took the stage with Geoff B. Gibbs (bass) and Dominic Cortese (drums), and there were light bouncy chords on the piano and some clicking of sticks and cymbols before the rhythm came in and the bodies in the audience that were not scribbling in notebooks moved to the beat. They label themselves as cosmic folk rock, and it’s an apt description. They do use distortion sometimes, but as an effect, not for the overall tone.

They’re poppy and a little spacey. They look like they feel good up on the stage, even when dressed appropriately for Dia De Los Muertos, and that vibe comes through to the audience where it mixes with the beers and the gifted shots that somehow keep coming as I write things like “cool slap groove … big chords in the middle … little bass solo!” during a song called “Back Door Open”. The bass is a driving element in the band, and Gibbs is quite good at taking a dominant role but not overshadowing the others. They mix their sounds well. Massey’s voice echoes much of Regina Spektor, especially on tracks like “Aghodoe” which in moments also reminds me of Pink Floyd’s “High Hopes” in the progression underneath her plea, “Please forget me.”

Please forget me? Can’t do it, Julia.

At the end of “Aghodoe”, another shot arrives for me, and I’m glad I’m taking a taxi tonight, glad I can let the drinks mix with the goodness of songs like “Skatepark” (my favorite) and “Is There Room For Me?” A drunk guy attaches himself to me, asks about the book and how it’s doing, questions that I would normally be happy to answer, but in the moment, I want to listen to that vibe on the stage that makes me feel good like anything labeled “cosmic” should.

The bass goes on, at times distorted, at times on an electric upright with a bow. The gifted shots stop coming so I buy my own, tequila, and give a toast to the band as Julia sings, “You can do whatever you want …” Indeed. The music does give me high hopes, and no matter the pleas in the middle and end of a certain song, I definitely cannot forget it.

After the show, I go backstage, and there are pictures taken of the band. Gibbs shows me his effects board and lets me play his bass a little, and I get the idea that I should do this after every show I like. And later, in the back of a taxi on the way back to the Skylark for more birthday wishes and shots, I think, yes, I will definitely write a few kind words about Julia’s band. Their next Seattle gig is Friday, November 25th at the Musiquarium Lounge. I don’t know where that is, but I’ll find it. You should too.

Dave

Photos by Sandy Lane.
More photos on our Facebook Page

CORRECTION: Julia Massey and the Five Finger Discount will next be playing December 1st at the Hard Rock Cafe. The Musiquarium gig, it seems, is not happening. See you at the Hard Rock.

While I still pine for those headphones, and all of those playlists at my fingertips ready to create the soundtrack of my life, I discovered everything I was missing.  Parents yelling at kids to get ready for school, seagulls overhead, a hushed "morning" from folks on the street, and the occasional cat call. 

Fortunately, as an artist, my bandmates are still total addicts and therefore have a keener ear when it comes to quality of sound and "feel" in recordings.  I think we make a good team, as I garner material from scenes on our block and they make sure it doesn't sound like crap when we get to the studio.

Many thanks to Geoff, Dom, Jared, Lady Grace, The Jesus Rehab, Brody, Colin, Gregor, Brandt, Tonya, Cheryl, Kimberlee, Danielle, and everyone else who helped out!

Here's a sneak preview....

In the interview, Chris Martin described his band's plight:  that there is never a moment when you've "made it," but rather, a series of proving grounds that constantly require more.  Most people, he elaborated, wonder how the heck they ever got to be as big as they are. 

"That's depressing," I thought.  It made me wonder if it's ever possible to achieve a sense of real accomplishment, or if those victory moments are creativity's way of forcing us mini-creators to keep going.  That actually made me feel better.  One of those, "time to not take oneself so seriously" realizations. 

It was a relief to finish up reading the interview and know that it's okay to give a crap about what you do, and that it's okay NOT to as well.